SHS guidance department expands reach

SOUTHINGTON — Starting this school year the Southington High School guidance department is building up its contact with colleges and universities outside Connecticut.

Guidance director Julie Robertson said the trend most graduating seniors follow is applying to schools in the Connecticut State University system and the University of Connecticut.

“We’re not trying to adopt colleges,” Robertson said, “but work on building a better rapport with some of the schools.”

During a recent Board of Education curriculum committee meeting, Robertson, alongside high school Principal Martin Semmel, said that eight of 10 guidance counselors will be “adopting” colleges in Massachusetts and New York.

School Superintendent Joseph Erardi said from his personal research he strongly believes that guidance departments should have good, professional relations with higher education institutions.

“I encouraged Julie to go down that path,” Erardi said. “She’s doing a fine job with this and I know it will expand over time.”

Robertson said the schools being targeted include Northeastern, Boston College and Boston University. She said there was focus on these particular institutions because she sees more students interested and looking to apply.

As the school year progresses, Robertson said the guidance counselors will be visiting different admission offices around Massachusetts and New York to provide additional information to students who want the opportunity to go to school outside of Connecticut.

Robertson said the guidance department already has good relationships with the state universities, but through the new initiative will be to provide additional information they couldn’t before for interested students. To help students with their college search, Robertson said the department uses a program called Naviance, which guides them through the application process.

“It will create an optimum relationship with all parties involved,” Erardi said.